Apparatus for separating composite oils into component parts



April 7, 1925.

F. E. VAN TILBURG APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING COMPOSITE OILS INTO COMPONENTPARTS Filed June 14, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNE Y6.

April 7, 1925.

. F. E. vAN TILBURG APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING COMPOSITE OILS INTOCOMPNENT PARTS Filed June 14, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AUXILIARY STILL V we.Z'zvv/VTOR; FRAN/f E. VAN 7h30/eq BY Patented Apr. 7, 1925.

FRANK E. VAN TILBURG, OF MINNEAPOLIS. MINNESOTA.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING COMPOSITE OILS INTO COMPONENT PARTS.

Application filed .Tune 14, 1923. Serial. No. 645,262.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. Fiumi E. VAN 'ITIL- BURG, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements .inApparatus for Separating Composite 011s into Component Parts, of w-hichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for separating composite oils intocomponent parts. More particularly, it relates to separating the lighterpetroleum products from the heavier lpetroleum products of crude oil.The objects of the invention are to increase the yield of gasoline orlighter products and to reduce the fuel consumption required fortheoperation. The invention is based on the principle I when onceseparated from the origlnal mass of crude oil should not again be mixedwith a heavier distillate or be allowed to mix with the original massfor the reason thatit requires less heat to re-distill the lightd1stillates when not mixed with heavier distillates than it requireswhen the lighter distillates are allowed to flow back into the still tomix with the original mass and be redistilled when the mass reaches ahigher temperature. The invention is also based upon the well known factthat when there is only a comparatively small difference in temperaturebetween the initial boiling point and the end point of the distillate,it is possible to recover a lalger percentage of light petroleum productor obtain an increased yield of products of what is known as low endpoints or low boiling points such as gasoline and naptha. By end pointis meant that characteristic of a so-called distillate which indicatesthe temperature at which the last of any particular sample is carriedoff in gaseous form. The general rey finery practice has been to re-runthe lighter distillatesirecovered from crude oil whose end points arehigher than those of gasoline and when this is done, it requires extrafuel to bring the distillatespto the temperature required forvaporization. In refineries which employ what tinuous system or abattery of stills consisting of two or more, it has been customary toallow the distillates which flow back from the vapor -lines of thestills to go into the original mass of oil with the result. that thesedistillates becomeV mixed with the Athat a petroleum distillatel isknown as the con-v original mass. It requires greater heat to re-distillthem when thus mixed than it does to re-distill them when kept separate.In order to' accomplish the objects of my invention, I provide a batteryof stills and associated dephlegmators, and pass the condensatewhichforms in the rst dephlegmator toa pan in the second dephlegmator, andfrom there on through pan-'s in the other dephlegmators and then into anauxiliary still in which the condensate is subjected to the heat of thevapors coming from one or more of the main stills without bringing suchvapors into contact with the condensate that is being re-distilled or incontact with thc vapors from such condensate. I also provide for passingthe vapors from the auxiliary still to one or more of the dephlegmators.Further, I contemplate utilizing the heat from any one ofthe stills forthe rc-distillation of the condensate thatl is allowed to flow backthrough pans in the dephlegmators to the auxiliary still.

The full objects and advantages of my in'- vcntion will appear inconnection with the detailed description, and the novel features of myinventive idea will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the operation of my`invention,-

Fig. 1 is a View partly in vertical section and partly in side elevationshowing an apparatus forcarrying ont my invention. Fig. 2 is a view -invertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3 showing an auxiliary still.Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

As shown in the drawings, I provide a plurality of stills or boilers 10,12, 14,16 and 18 -which are placed above lire boxes 20, 22, 24, 2G, and28, respectively, which furnish heat for vaporizing the oils in thestills. The composite oil to be separated is fed into the first still insuitable manner as by means of' a pipe 30 and the stills are connectedin series by pipes 32, 34, 3G, and 38. Pipes 40, 42, 44, and 4G connectthe upper portions of the stills 10, l2, 14, and 16 respectively withdephlegmators 48, 50, 52, and 54, these pipes entering the dephlegmatorssomewhat above the bottoms thereof. From the tops of the dephlegmators,pipes 56, 58, and 62 lead to condensers (not shown) which lnay be of anysuitable or customary type. Associated with the still 18 is an auxiliarystill which includes a casing' G4 within which is a tubular structurehaving upper and lower heads 66 and 68 joined by a plurality of tubes 70and extending through the heads so as to connect with upper and lowerchainbers 72 and 74. The chamber 74 is connected by a pipe 76 with theupper portion of the still 18, this pipe having a shutoff cock 78 andalso having a number of branch pipes 80 which may be connected todifferent stills. The pipes 80 are provided with shutoff cocks 82. Theupper chamber 7 2 is connected by a pipe 84 with a pipe 86, one end ofthe latter being connected with the upper portion of the still 18 andthe other end being connected to a condenser (not shown). A shutoff cock88 is provided in the pipe 86 between its connection with the pipe 84and the still 18. From the chamber 74 a pipe 90 leads to a customaryrun-down tank and this pipe is' connected by a branch pipev92 with a pan94 supported in the upper portion of a shutoff cock 102.

the still 18. The pipe 92 is provided with a sluit off cock 96 and thepipe 90 below its junction with the pipe 92 is provided with a shutoffcock 98. The space surrounding the pipes 70 between the heads 66 and 68is connected by a pipe 100 with a customary rundown tank, and this pipeAis provided with Extending through the side wall of the auxiliary stillcasing 64 is a pipe 104 whose inner end portion 106 is bent downwardlyso that the extended lower end is located slightly above the head 68.The pipe 104 outside of the casing 64 is downwardly inclined and itsextreme end is located in a pan 108 supported in the upper portion ofthe first still 10. A pipe 110 leads back from the bottom of thedephlegmator 48 into the pan 108. A pipe 112 connects the bottom of thedephlegmator with the pipe 104 and a branch pipe 114 connects the pipe112 with a pan 116 supported iu the upper portion of the still 12. Thepipe 114 is provided with a shutoff cock 118, the, pipe 112 below itsjunction with the pipe 114 is provided with a shutoff cock 120, and thepipe 104 beyond its connection with the pipe 112 is provided with ashutoff" cock 122. A pipe 124 connects the bottom of the dephlegmator 52with the pipe 104, and a branch pipe 126 connects the pipe 124 with apan 128 supported in the upper portion of the still 14. The pipe 126 isprovided with a shutoff cock 130, the pipe 124 below its junction withthe pipe 126 is prov vided with a shutoff cock 132, and the pipe 104beyond its connection with the pipe 124 is provided with a shutoff cock134. A pipe 136 connects the bottom of the dephleginator 54 with thepipe 104 and a branch pipe 138 connects the pipe 136 with a pan 140supported in the upper portion of the still 16. The pipe 138 is providedwith a shutoff cock 142, the pipe 136 below its junction with the pipe138 is provided with a shutoff cock 144,

the still 18 when the cock and the pipe 104 beyond its connection withthe pipe 136 is provided with a shutoff cock 146. The pans 108, 116,128, and 140 are connected in series by downwardly inclined pipes 148,150, 152. Supported in the lower portions of the dephlegmators 48, 50,52, and 54 are pans 154, 156, 158 and 160, respectively, which areconnected in series by pipes 162, 164, and 166 except the pan 160 isconnected by a pipe 168 with the space in the auxiliary still casing 64between the heads 66 and 68. The pipe 46 previously referred to insteadof being connected directly to the dephlegmators 54 is connected to apipe 170 which connects this dephleginator with the space between theheads 66 and 68- in the auxiliary still. dephlegmator 54 is connected bya pipe 172 with the pipe 104 and the pipe 172 is provided with a shutoffcock 174. The operation and advantages of my invention will be readilyunderstood in connection with the forgoing description. It should beborne in mind that the temperature of the first still is maintained atabout 300 F.. and that the temperature of the other stills in successionis increased progressively succeeding still, and

about 750 F. for each that. a corresponding progressive lncrease in Thepan 160 in the heat is maintained in the associated dephleginators. Whenthe cock 88 is closed and the cock T8 is open, vapors forming in thestill 18 are caused `to pass through the pipe 76 and through the tubesin the auxiliary still 64. From the chamber 72 at the top ot the still,these vapors pass through pipe 84 and back into the pipe 86 on their wayto the condenser. Condensates which forni in the dephlegniators arereceived in the pans 154, 156, 158 and 160 and flow through theconnecting pipes 162, 164, 166 and 168 into the space between the heads66 and 68 in the auxiliary still where these coudensates are subjectedto the action of the hot vapors rising thriiugh tubes 70. 'lhe portionsof the condeusates thus rc-distilled pass out through the pipe 170 andinto the dephlegniator 5t. lt is apparent that vapors from other stillsbesides the still 18 may be passed through the pipes into the auxiliarystill 64 before they are delivered to the condenser. Any condensateforming in the pipes 70 will collect in the chamber T4 from which thecondensate may pass through the pipe to a run-down tank when the cock 98is open or through the branch pipe 92 tothe pan 94 in 96 is open, andthe cock 98 is closed. The condensate collected in the pan 94 will bere-distilled by the heat in the still 18. Condensate forming in thespace between the heads 66 and 68 and around the pipes 70 will beallowed to passl through the pipe to a run-down tank when the cock 102is opened, while it this cock is closed lUtl the condensate will collectin the. space between the heads and will pass on through the pipe 104and be delivered to the pan 108` in the first still in case the cocks122, 134, and 146 are all open. Any condensate which overflows the pans154, 156, 158 and 160 in the respective dephleginators will drop to thebottom ot the de-y phlegmator. The condensate in the bottom of thedephlegmator 48 will How through the pipe 110 into the pan 108. It thecocks 120, 122, 132, 134, 144 and 146 are all open, the condensate inthe bottom of the dephlegmators 50,. 52, and 54 will flow through thepipe 104 into the pan 108. It the cock 144 is closed and the cock 142 isopen, the condensate in the bottom ot the dephlegmator 54 will flowthrough fthe pipe 138 into the pan 140. At the same time it' thecondensate is passing into the pipe 104 from the auxiliary still 64 thiscondensate will continue down the pipe 104 if the cock 146 is open. It'now the cock 146 be closed and the cock 144 be opened, the condensatecoming down the pipe 104 will pass through the pipe 138 into the pan140. It the cock 132 1s closed and the cock 130 is open, the condensatein' the bottom ofthe dephlegmator 52 will How through lthe pipe 126 intothe pan 128. At the same time, it' any condensate is passing into thepipe 104 from the auxiliary still 64, this condensate will continue downthe pipe 104 if the, cock 134 is open. It, however. the cock 134 isclosed and the cocks 132 and 146 are opened. the condensate coming downthe pipe 104 will pass through the pipe 126 into the pan 128. Theconnections with the dephlegmator 50 may be similarly operated to directthe condensate into the pan 116.

vUpon opening the cock 174, the condensate in the pan 160 including thatwhich passes Ithereinto from the pans 154, 156, and 158 instead otpassing to the auxiliary still 64 will pass down the. pipe 172 into thepipe 104 and thence into the pan 108 in the still l0. By the employmentot' the., auxiliary still 64. 1 utilize the heat ot' the vapors forredistilling the condensate. The condensates collect in the pans in theearlier stills and dephlegmators and pass on to pans in succeedingstills and dephlegmators where they are subjected to progressivelyincreasing degrees of heat. l'The employment of my invention increasesthe yield of gasoline, saves fuel, and increases the capacity of theplant.

I claimz 1. Apparatus for separating composite i oils 'into componentparts comprising a plurality of main stills, nected with said stills, apan in each of said dephlegmators for collecting condensate formedtherein, pipes connecting said pans in series, an auxiliary still, apipe connectingt the last one of said pans with said auxiliary still forconducting the condensate by heat of said vapors,-

dephlegmators conthereinto, means for conducting vapors from one of saidmain stills into said auxiliary still for redistilling the condensatetherein and means in said auxiliary still for preventing said vaporsfrom coming into .contact with said condensate.

2. Apparatus for separating composite oils into component partscomprising a plurality of main stills, dephlegmators connected with saidstills, a pan in each ot said dephlegmators for collecting thecondensate formed therein, pipes connecting said pans in series, anauxiliary still, a pipe connecting the last one of said pans with saidauxiliary stillfor conducting condensate thereinto, means for conductingvapors from one ot said main stills into said auxiliary still forredistilling the condensate therein by the heat of said vapors, means insaid auxiliary still for preventing said vapors from coming in contactwith said condensate, and means for conducting the vapors formed in saidauxiliary still t-o the dephlegmator connected with one of said mainstills.

3. Apparatus for separating composite oils into component partscomprising a plurality of main stills, dephlegmators connected with saidstills, a pan in each of said dephlegmators for collecting thecondensate formedtherein, pipes connecting said pans in series, anauxiliary still, a pipe connecting the last one of said pans with saidauxiliary still for conducting lcondensate thereinto, means forconducting vapors from one of said main stills into said auxiliary stillfor re-distilling the condensate therein by the heat of said vapors,means in said auxiliary still for preventing said vapors from coming incontact with said condensate,mea1is for conducting the vapors formed insaid auxiliary still to the dephlegmator connected with one ot said mainstills, and means for conductingr reflux condensate. from said auxiliarystill to one ot' said main stills.

4. Apparatus for separating composite oils into component partscomprising a plurality of main stills, a pan in the upper portion ofeach of said main stills, ipes connecting said pans in series, dephegmators connected with said stills, a pan in each of said dephlegmatorsfor collecting the condensate ,formed therein, pipes connecting saidlast-named pans in series, means for trapping back into the pans in saidstills overflow from the pans in said dephlegmators, an auxiliary still,a pipe connecting the last one ot the pans in said deplilegmators withsaid auxiliary still for -conduct-ing the condensate thereinto, meansfor conducting vapors from one of said main stills into said auxiliarystill for redistilling the condensate therein by the heat of saidvapors, means in said auxiliarystill for preventing said vaporsfrom'coming in contact with said condensate, means for con-v ducting thevapors formed in said auxiliary still to the dephlegmator connected withone of said main stills, and means for conducting reflux condensate fromsaid auxilia still to the pan in one of said main stills.

Apparatus for separating composite oils into component parts comprisinga plurality of main stills, a pan in the upper portion of each of saidmain stills, pipes connecting' said pans in series, dephlegmatorsconnected with said stills, a pan in each of said dephlegmators'forcollecting the condensate formed therein, pipes connecting said pans inseries, andmeans for trapping back into the pans in saidstills overflowfrom the pans in said dephlegniators.I

In testimony whereof I hereunto signature.

FRANK E. VAN TILBURG.

affix my 2-

